Peer Specialist

Abode; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 34,440 - 37,195; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% paid health, vision, and dental

19 PTO days

12 Holidays per year

Voluntary benefits: FSA, EAP, Commuter

3% retirement match

Professional Development & Leadership

All Staff Events

Job summary

Abode is seeking a Peer Specialist for the Kifer Senior Apartments program in Santa Clara, CA. The role involves outreach, case management, and wrap-around clinical services for participants with serious health and housing needs.

Qualifications include a high school diploma, recovery experience, six months in homelessness work, and a CA driver's license. Expect a Mon-Fri 9am-5pm schedule with full benefits and retirement matching.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• Personal recovery from addiction, homelessness, and/or mental health recovery is required.
• Six months of field experience with people experiencing homelessness.
• Must have a valid CA driver’s license, insurance, and clean DMV record.

Responsibilities

• Provide outreach and engagement to locate referred individuals in various locations.
• Re-engage participants who have lost contact with the team.
• Assist with intakes, gather information, and maintain records and case notes.
• Link participants with community treatment, housing, benefits, and employment services.
• Help participants set goals and access public benefits and self-sufficiency.
• Assist navigating criminal justice and court systems; advocate as needed.
• Develop Wellness Recovery Action Plans and provide coaching and support.
• Attend meetings and ensure timely data entry and documentation.

Skills

Verbal & written communication

Organizational skills

Time management

Rapport building

Cultural sensitivity

Microsoft Office

Mobile device proficiency

Emotional intelligence

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office programs

Job description

Kifer Senior Apartments, 3335 Kifer Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95051, USA

Abode, one of the largest and most active nonprofits working to end homelessness in the Bay Area, is seeking a Peer Specialist for our Kifer Senior Apartments program in Santa Clara, CA. Shift Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm

About the role: The Peer Specialist provides outreach, case management, or rehabilitative services. This position, along with team members, will provide outreach, engage, house, and wrap-around clinical services to participants. These participants will be identified through county data and other assessment processes as being the most frequent users of emergency services, criminal justice, and other homeless/county services in the County. Program participants will have Serious Mental Health Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, and/or Chronic Health Conditions.

The People and Culture: You will be surrounded by some of the most talented, supportive, smart, and kind leaders and teams. Abode Services regularly recognizes employees’ efforts, seeks employees’ input, and cares for employees as people with lives outside of work. We believe that we make better decisions and provide quality services when our workforce reflects the diversity of the communities in which we operate. People of color make up nearly 70% of our workforce and we strive to recruit and retain employees from all backgrounds.

• $25.00-$27.50/ DOE
• Full Time/Non-Exempt
• Shift Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm
• 100% paid health, vision, and dental options
• 19 PTO days & 12 Holidays per year
• Voluntary benefits: FSA, EAP, Commuter Checks, Life Insurance, Legal, and more
• 3% retirement match/contribution
• Professional Development Trainings and Opportunities, Leadership Academy Programs, and All Staff Events
• Dynamic, mission-driven culture and supportive leadership. We support you in supporting others

How You Make an Impact:

• Provide outreach and engagement to homeless adults to locate referred individuals. Locations include but are not limited to encampments, parks, shelters, treatment facilities, jail, court, etc.
• Help re-engage participants enrolled in the program who have lost contact with the team.
• Assist in interviewing and completing initial intakes with clients, gathering, and assembling related information, and maintaining appropriate records and files. Maintain thorough and concise case notes.
• Assist in linking participants with community treatment services for mental health, substance recovery, physical health care, financial assistance, educational and employment services, housing, advocacy, socialization activities, and other services.
• Assist participants with establishing goals and strategies for increasing self-sufficiency. Assist participants with accessing public benefits (i.e., General Assistance, Food Stamps, and SSI).
• Support participants as they navigate the criminal justice and court systems. Advocate for participants by interacting with judges, court mental health staff, public defenders, etc.
• Help participants develop a Wellness Recovery Action Plan.
• Provide support, role modeling, and coaching to participants in the program.
• Attend clinical, administrative, and case conferencing meetings as dictated by the program supervisor.
• Enter all data on time and correctly to support program evaluation and outcomes tracking.
• Ensure proper and timely documentation of services including written case notes using the BIRP formats and billing services to Medi-Cal.
• Assist the Program Manager, Clinical Supervisor, and other staff as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

How You Meet Qualifications :

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Personal life experiences with recovery from addiction, homelessness, and/or mental health recovery required.
• Six months of field experience working with people experiencing homelessness.
• Use of personal vehicle and proof of a valid and current California Driver’s License and current insurance along with a clean DMV record required.

COMPETENCIES:

• Excellent verbal & written communication, organizational, and time management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to work well independently and collaboratively with teams.
• Possess an understanding of and practice cultural sensitivity.
• Experience in building rapport and engaging in the most difficult to serve participants.
• Experience and ability to build supportive and respectful working relationships with individuals with disabilities and/or are experiencing homelessness that instills hope and promotes self-determination using a strengths-based approach.
• Sensitivity to and understanding of the special needs of the homeless.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, systems, and platforms.
• Ability to learn and use required mobile devices and business-related applications.
• High degree of emotional intelligence, cultural humility, with a proven track record to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide variety of internal and external contacts.

Notice: This description is to be used as a guide only. It does not constitute a contract, commitment or promise of any kind. Abode Services reserves the right to change, add, delete, upgrade, or downgrade the position as dictated by business necessity at any time with or without notice.

Notice: Abode Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Drug Free Workplace

Qualifications

Skills

Behaviors

:

Motivations

:

Education

Required

High School or better in Other.

Experience

Licenses & Certifications

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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